Hashmi accuses N man of opposing edu project

MULTANVeteran politician Makhdoom Javed Hashmi said that “Ch Abdul Waheed Arrain, a PML-N leader, is creating hurdles in the establishment of a university in the area.”He said that when he quit the PML-N, Ch Abdul Waheed Arrain acquired his land on lease and publicly said that he was directed by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to occupy the land.“And now when I quit PTI, they have snatched my vehicle. It was given to me by my friend Imtiaz Dar but the PTI leadership pressured his sons to get the vehicle back,” he alleged. He maintained that whenever he quit a party, its leadership got vindictive against him. However, he said that he cannot go against the Muslim League, adding that he was a born leaguer.Addressing a press conference, he said that if Ch Abdul Waheed Arrain allowed Agricultural University to be built on the said controversial land, he would stand behind him (Arrain) and let him install a plaque bearing Arrain’s name. He added that he could not abuse anyone but he could not keep silent too. He requested the university students and locals to postpone their programme to form a human chain on Friday, asking the chief minister to take notice of the situation.He claimed that the said land was being made controversial without any reason. “It’s not Auqaf land. The British snatched it from our family on instigation of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the PTI vice chairman, in 1908 but we got back its hold in 1954 on court order,” he added. He said that promotion of health and education facilities was his mission, adding that he got 200 schools and 14 colleges established in Multan. He said that if the university was established in Makhdoom Rasheed, it would give benefit to the residents of entire South Punjab. He suggested to Hamza Shahbaz and Ch Abdul Waheed Arrain to name the proposed varsity after their names but let this project be accomplished. He said that he got approved kidney, liver, cardiology and children hospitals but Ch Parvez Elahi inaugurated these projects. “Yet I had no objection on this because my mission is to bring these projects to Multan and not to install plaques with my name,” he added.He said that the lessees of the land had earned more than Rs15 million from the land and since they had sub-leased the land to others, their agreement had automatically expired with the Auqaf Department. He said that he tried to talk to Shahbaz Sharif or Hamza Shahbaz but both of them did not receive his calls. “However, the DCO has assured me that the issue will be resolved in three days and the land will be given to the varsity,” he added. He said that he had right to contest a legal fight and he would continue his struggle if the varsity was not set up in Makhdoom Rasheed.